The February 2 recording obtained by nonprofit news organization Mother Jones outlines how McConnell hoped to discredit his potential opponent.

"I assume most of you have played the, the game Whac-A-Mole?" McConnell can be heard saying.

"This is the Whac-A-Mole period of the campaign… when anybody sticks their head up, do them out."

One of his aides is later heard saying: "This sounds extreme, but she is emotionally unbalanced. I mean it's been documented... she's suffered some suicidal tendencies.

"She was hospitalized for 42 days when she had a mental breakdown in the '90s."

One of his aides was also recorded saying: "She's clearly sort of anti-sort-of-traditional American family.... she described having children as selfish, and she thinks it's unconscionable to breed.

"So you put that with what we'll talk to you later about her sort of pro-choice stance and it's sort of a, you know, pretty extreme posture to take. She also is critical of, of fathers giving away their daughters in marriage ceremonies.

"She says it's a common vestige of male dominion over a women's reproductive status when her father gives her away at a wedding. And then she's clearly for pro-abortion."

The aides also criticize Judd's support of Obamacare, gay marriage and her "oddly synthetic approach to Christianity".